JP2000147310A - Optical waveguide module - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical waveguide module stable in optical demultiplex function and optical multiplex function within a use temp. range and excellent in long-term reliability. SOLUTION: An optical waveguide provided in an optical waveguide chip 11 is arranged oppositely to an optical fiber 7, and the connection end surface of the optical waveguide chip 11 is coupled with the connection end surface of the optical fiber 7 by adhesive. A connection part 3 between the optical waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7, the optical waveguide chip 11 and heaters 9, 10 holding the optical waveguide chip 11 to a prescribed set temp. are housed in a casing consisting of a body 1 and a cap member 2, and a connection part housing part 4 housing the connection part 3 is made a hollow. By communicating the connection part housing part 4 to the casing outside, a vent 5 communicating the connection part 3 to the casing outside is provided, and the matter that the connection part 3 is thermally deteriorated by heating with the heaters 9, 10 is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical waveguide module used for optical communication and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, in the field of optical communication, a flat optical waveguide circuit (PLC; Pl) in which a plurality of optical waveguides are juxtaposed on silicon and quartz wafers from the viewpoint of cost reduction and high integration.
anere Light-wave Circuit)
Is being put to practical use. Optical waveguide components such as PLC
When the (optical waveguide chip) is used for optical communication, an optical fiber array in which a plurality of optical fibers are accurately arranged in parallel is connected to an optical waveguide component and used as an optical waveguide module.

As an example of an optical waveguide component, one formed with an optical waveguide circuit such as a spectral splitter or an arrayed waveguide type diffraction grating is used, and these optical waveguide components have different wavelengths depending on the optical waveguide circuit. It has a function of splitting and multiplexing an optical signal. However, the optical waveguide component is generally formed by depositing a quartz optical waveguide on a silicon substrate. In the optical waveguide component, when the temperature of the optical waveguide fluctuates, the strain generated in the optical waveguide causes The wavelengths that are demultiplexed and multiplexed shift as described above, and accordingly, the wavelengths that are demultiplexed and multiplexed by the optical waveguide module fluctuate depending on the operating temperature environment of the optical waveguide module. Problems arise.

Therefore, in order to avoid this problem, an optical waveguide component is provided inside the housing, insulated from the outside of the housing, and a Peltier capable of controlling both the low-temperature side and the high-temperature side is provided in the housing. By providing the element, the operating temperature of the optical waveguide module is generally −20 ° C. to 70 ° C., while the temperature of the optical waveguide component is adjusted in the range of 40 ° C. to 50 ° C. for use. Has been done.

However, Peltier elements use a large amount of semiconductors inside, and these semiconductors are soldered. Therefore, long-term reliability is low and optical communication equipment that requires long-term reliability is required. Because it is evaluated that it is not suitable, in place of the Peltier element, a heater that keeps the temperature of the optical waveguide component at a high temperature is provided in the housing, and the temperature of the optical waveguide component is the upper limit of the operating temperature range of the optical waveguide module It is also used at 70 ° C. for use. Because the heater has higher long-term reliability than the Peltier element,
It is expected that an optical waveguide module of a type in which a heater is provided to maintain a high optical waveguide temperature can improve its long-term reliability.

[0006]

However, the connection end face of the optical waveguide component of the optical waveguide module and the connection end face of the optical fiber are connected using an adhesive, and the optical waveguide component is continuously heated to 70 ° C. When used, the thermal load acts continuously on the connection between the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber, so the adhesive degrades due to this thermal load, and the connection between the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber peels off. In addition, there has been a problem that an axis shift between the optical waveguide of the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber occurs, and a coupling loss between the optical waveguide and the optical fiber increases. In such a case, even if the temperature of the optical waveguide component is maintained using a heater or the like having a long-term reliability, the performance of the optical waveguide module is deteriorated, and the long-term reliability cannot be ensured.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a light emitting device having stable optical demultiplexing function and optical multiplexing function within the operating temperature range, and having a long-term reliability. And to provide an optical waveguide module having a high optical waveguide module.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention has the following structure to solve the problem. That is, in the first invention, the optical waveguide provided on the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber are arranged to face each other, and the connection end surface of the optical waveguide component and the connection end surface of the optical fiber are connected by an adhesive. An optical waveguide module comprising: a connection part between a waveguide component and an optical fiber; an optical waveguide component; and a heating unit for holding the optical waveguide component at a predetermined set temperature in a housing. The means for solving the problem has a configuration in which a thermal degradation preventing means for preventing thermal degradation of a connection portion between the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber due to heating by the above is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, the thermal degradation preventing means includes a ventilation hole for connecting a connecting portion between the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber to the outside of the housing. This configuration is used as means for solving the problem.

Further, in the third invention, the optical waveguide provided on the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber are arranged to face each other, and the connection end surface of the optical waveguide component and the connection end surface of the optical fiber are connected by an adhesive. A connection part between the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber, and an optical waveguide module in which the optical waveguide component is housed in a housing, wherein the temperature control element cools a connection part between the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber; Alternatively, a configuration in which a radiating fin is provided is a means for solving the problem.

[0011] In the first and second aspects of the present invention,
Since the heating means for holding the optical waveguide component at a predetermined set temperature is housed in the housing together with the optical waveguide component,
By maintaining the temperature of the optical waveguide at the set temperature by the heating of the heating means, the performance of the optical waveguide module becomes unstable due to the temperature dependence of the optical waveguide components (for example, an optical demultiplexing wavelength and an optical multiplexing wavelength, etc.). Is shifted by the operating temperature of the optical waveguide module). Further, when the heating means is provided, there is a concern that the connection between the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber is thermally degraded by heating by the heating means. In the first and second inventions, however, such a heating means is used. Since the thermal degradation preventing means for preventing the thermal degradation of the connection part due to the heating by the heat treatment is provided, the thermal degradation of the connection part is suppressed, and the long-term reliability is improved.

Therefore, in the first and second aspects of the present invention, the optical waveguide module has stable optical demultiplexing function and optical multiplexing function within the operating temperature range, and has high long-term reliability. The problem is solved.

In the third aspect of the present invention, since the temperature control element or the heat radiation fin for cooling the connection between the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber is provided, the optical waveguide module is used even at a high temperature. Even so, the deterioration of the connection portion due to heat is suppressed by the temperature control element and the heat radiation fin, and the optical waveguide module has high long-term reliability, and the above-mentioned problem is solved.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those in the conventional example, and the duplicate description thereof will be omitted. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the optical waveguide module according to the present invention. (A) of the figure shows a BB sectional view of (b) of the figure, and (b) of the figure shows A of (a) of the figure.
-A sectional view is shown.

As shown in these figures, the optical waveguide module according to the present embodiment has a housing formed by fixing a body 1 and a cover member 2 with screws 22. Accommodates a waveguide chip 11 as an optical waveguide component.

Heaters 9 and 10 are provided on both upper and lower sides of the waveguide chip 11 as heating means for maintaining the waveguide chip 11 at a predetermined set temperature via heat equalizing plates 12 and 13. Soaking plates 12, 13 and heater 10
Are fixed to the body 1 via screws 17. In addition, the heaters 9 and 10 are connected to a heating control circuit via an electric wire 20, and in the figure, 19 indicates a thermistor insertion groove. In the figure, reference numeral 18 denotes the waveguide chip 11.
When a filter is provided on the center side of the filter, the filter insertion portion for inserting the filter is formed.

In the waveguide chip 11, a plurality of optical waveguides (not shown) are respectively extended in the Z direction in the drawing and arranged at intervals in the X direction in the drawing. The waveguide chip 11 on the connection end face side of the optical waveguide
A glass plate 16 that covers the surface of the waveguide chip 11 is provided on both sides of the connection end face of the waveguide chip 11.

The optical fibers 7 are arranged opposite to the optical waveguide of the waveguide chip 11, and these optical fibers 7 are also arranged at intervals in the X direction in the figure.
And the optical waveguide corresponding to the optical fiber 7 are optically connected. In addition, on the connection end face side of the optical fiber 7, an optical fiber arrangement tool 21 is provided below the optical fiber 7, and a glass plate 15 is provided above the optical fiber 7. Are sandwiched between the optical fiber arrangement tool 21 and the glass plate 15. The connection end face of the optical fiber 7 and the end face of the optical fiber arrangement tool 21 and the waveguide chip 11
Are connected by an adhesive, and the connection end surfaces of the glass plates 15 and 16 are also connected by an adhesive. In the figure, 3 is the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7
Are shown.

The connecting portion accommodating portion 4 accommodating the connecting portion 3 between the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7 is hollow, and the lid member 2 on the upper side of the connecting portion accommodating portion 4 has: A plurality of ventilation holes 5 are formed, and the connection portion 3 communicates with the outside of the housing including the body 1 and the cover member 2 via the connection portion housing portion 4 and the ventilation holes 5. The most characteristic feature of the present embodiment is that the ventilation hole 5 is provided above the connection portion 3 between the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7, and the ventilation hole 5 is heated by the heaters 9 and 10. This is a means for preventing thermal deterioration of the connection portion 3 between the optical waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7 due to thermal deterioration.

In this embodiment, the waveguide chip 11 is heated by the heaters 9 and 10 at this time.
The heat of 10 is transmitted through the heat equalizing plates 12 and 13 to the waveguide chip 11.
, The waveguide chip 11 is uniformly heated, and the waveguide chip 11 is kept at a set temperature of, for example, 70 ° C.

In this embodiment, the air hole 5 is formed above the connection 3 between the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7.
Is provided so as to ventilate the outside of the housing. Even if the waveguide chip 11 is kept at 70 ° C., if the temperature outside the housing (outside air temperature) is 70 ° C. or less, the waveguide chip 11 The connection 3 between the cable and the optical fiber 7 is cooled by air passing through the ventilation hole 5.

When the outside air temperature is 30 ° C. or less, which is the most common use temperature of the optical waveguide module, the temperature of the connecting portion 3 between the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7 is certainly 50 ° C. or less. Is cooled. According to the study of the present inventor, when the temperature of the connecting portion 3 between the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7 is set to 50 ° C. or lower, there is almost no thermal deterioration of the connecting portion 3 and long-term reliability is secured. It is known that, in the present embodiment, the optical waveguide module is 3
When used at a temperature of 0 ° C. or lower, thermal deterioration of the connection portion 3 between the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7 is reliably prevented, and long-term reliability is ensured.

According to the present embodiment, as described above, in order to heat and hold the waveguide chip 11 in the optical waveguide module by the heaters 9 and 10, for example, the optical waveguide circuit formed in the waveguide chip 11 is branched into light beams. The waveguide chip 11 is used as a splitter or an arrayed waveguide type diffraction grating when multiplexing light of a plurality of wavelengths by an optical waveguide circuit or demultiplexing a plurality of lights for each wavelength from wavelength multiplexed light. Since the wavelength change due to the temperature change can be prevented, an optical waveguide module having an extremely stable optical multiplexing function and optical demultiplexing function can be obtained.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the ventilation hole 5 for connecting the connection portion 3 between the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7 to the outside of the housing is provided, the connection portion 3 is always provided.
For example, since it can be cooled to a temperature of 50 ° C. or less, thermal deterioration of the connection portion 3 can be reliably prevented, and an optical waveguide module having high long-term reliability can be obtained. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide an optical waveguide module which is excellent in performance such as an optical multiplexing function and an optical demultiplexing function and has high long-term reliability.

FIG. 2 shows a main configuration of an optical waveguide module according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In addition,
In this embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same parts as those in the first embodiment. In this embodiment, for example, similarly to the first embodiment, a waveguide chip 11, a connection portion 3 between the waveguide chip 11 and an optical fiber, and a waveguide chip are provided in a housing having a body and a lid member. FIG. 2A shows a waveguide chip 11 housed in a housing and a heating means such as a heater for holding the semiconductor chip 11 at a predetermined set temperature. A configuration in the vicinity of the connection portion 3 between the optical fiber 7 and the optical fiber 7 is shown in a plan view, and FIG. 4B shows a configuration similar to the above in a side view.

A feature of the second embodiment is that a Peltier element 6 is provided as a temperature control element for cooling the connection 3 between the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7.

In the second embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the waveguide chip 11 is heated by the heater, but in this embodiment, the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber are heated. 7 is connected to the Peltier element 6
It is configured to actively cool by
Even when the temperature outside the housing is high, the connection portion 3 can be cooled to a temperature of, for example, 50 ° C. or less.

Therefore, according to the second embodiment, the deterioration of the connection portion 3 due to heat can be more reliably prevented, and an optical waveguide module having more excellent long-term reliability can be obtained. .

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can adopt various embodiments. For example, in the first embodiment, a plurality of ventilation holes 5 are provided, but the number of ventilation holes 5 may be one. However, in order to efficiently prevent thermal deterioration of the connection portion 3 between the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7, it is preferable to provide a plurality of ventilation holes 5.

In the first embodiment, the cover member 2
Although the ventilation hole 5 is provided on the side, the ventilation hole 5 may be provided on the body 1 side, or may be provided on both the lid member 2 and the body 1.

Further, in the second embodiment, the Peltier element 6 is provided as a temperature control element for cooling the connecting portion 3 between the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7. May be provided.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, a heater is provided as a heating means for maintaining the waveguide chip 11 at a set temperature. However, the heating means is not necessarily a heater. What is necessary is just to be able to hold.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, a heating means such as a heater for maintaining the waveguide chip 11 at a set temperature is provided in the housing. In the case where a temperature control element for cooling the connection portion 3 with the optical fiber 7 is provided, the heating means is not necessarily provided inside the housing, and for example, the heating means may be provided outside the housing. Also in this case, by cooling the connecting portion, the same effect as in the second embodiment can be obtained. However, in order to efficiently heat and hold the waveguide chip 11 and efficiently cool the connection portion 3, the second
It is preferable to provide a heating means in the housing as in the embodiment.

Further, as in the first embodiment, a means for preventing thermal deterioration such as a vent hole 5 for connecting the connecting portion 3 between the waveguide chip 11 and the optical fiber 7 to the outside of the housing is provided.
Further, as in the second embodiment, a temperature adjusting element such as a Peltier element 6 for cooling the connecting portion 3 may be provided to form the optical waveguide module. By doing so, the cooling of the connecting portion 3 can more reliably prevent the thermal deterioration of the connecting portion 3.

[0035]

According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the heating means for holding the optical waveguide component at a predetermined set temperature is housed in the housing together with the optical waveguide component, and the temperature of the optical waveguide is set at the set temperature. In this case, the performance of the optical waveguide module becomes unstable due to the temperature dependence of the optical waveguide components (for example, the wavelengths of the optical demultiplexing and the optical multiplexing are shifted by the operating temperature of the optical waveguide module). It is possible to suppress the thermal degradation of the connection part by providing a thermal degradation prevention means for preventing the thermal degradation of the connection part due to the heating by the heating means. Can be secured. Therefore, within the operating temperature range, the performance such as the optical demultiplexing function and the optical multiplexing function is stable, and an excellent optical waveguide module having high long-term reliability can be obtained.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the temperature control element for cooling the connection between the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber is provided. The element can suppress deterioration of the connection portion due to heat, and can provide an optical waveguide module having high long-term reliability. Also, in the third invention, similarly to the first and second inventions, by providing a heating means for maintaining the optical waveguide component at a set temperature, the light demultiplexing function and the light multiplexing function can be similarly performed. Therefore, the same effect can be obtained because the performance such as the above can be stabilized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a main part configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of an optical waveguide module according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a main part configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the optical waveguide module according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Body 2 Lid member 3 Connection part 4 Connection part accommodation part 5 Ventilation hole 6 Peltier element 7 Optical fiber 9,10 Heater 11 Waveguide chip 12,13 Heat equalizing plate 15,16 Glass plate

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tsunetoshi Saito 2-6-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2H037 AA01 BA24 DA02 DA17 DA38 2H047 LA18 TA00

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An optical waveguide provided on an optical waveguide component and an optical fiber are arranged to face each other, and a connection end surface of the optical waveguide component and a connection end surface of the optical fiber are connected by an adhesive. An optical waveguide module comprising: a connection portion to a fiber; an optical waveguide component; and a heating means for holding the optical waveguide component at a predetermined set temperature, housed in a housing. An optical waveguide module comprising a thermal deterioration preventing means for preventing thermal deterioration of a connecting portion between a waveguide component and an optical fiber. 2. The optical waveguide module according to claim 1, wherein the means for preventing thermal deterioration comprises a ventilation hole connecting a connecting portion between the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber to the outside of the housing. 3. An optical waveguide provided on an optical waveguide component and an optical fiber are disposed to face each other, and a connection end surface of the optical waveguide component and a connection end surface of the optical fiber are connected by an adhesive. An optical waveguide module in which a connection portion with a fiber and an optical waveguide component are housed in a housing, wherein a temperature control element or a heat radiation fin for cooling a connection portion between the optical waveguide component and the optical fiber is provided. An optical waveguide module, comprising: